Chapter 4 – You’re the Music in Me

A/N – Happy birthday to me! Here’s a gift for you.

Dean stood alone in his hotel room waiting for the demon to arrive. The talk with Sammy had gone about as well as could be expected, he’d spent all of the night before and the day that followed it being told just how stupid he was. Joy.

Now he had to go on a date with a demon! It would be funny, if it wasn’t so totally just, not funny. What did a demon even think of when planning a date? Virgin sacrifice? Mass slaughter? Bowling?

If it was something so horrifying, so completely across the line, what would objecting do? Would that null the deal and forfeit Sammy’s life? If it did, would he still speak up? The date hadn’t even started yet and he was already fighting off a major brain twister of a headache. Son of a bitch!

“Are you ready to go Dean?” Whipping around to look at the demon behind him he nearly bit clean through his tongue to keep from crying out. He hated it when things snuck up on him.

“Yeah sure, hope I’m dressed alright, I mean it’s not like you told me what we’re doing anyway.” He hoped he would take the hint and give him a clue. No such luck, the bastard just tilted his head to the side and looked him up and down like he was really assessing his clothes. Like he would actually change if it didn’t pass scrutiny. Screw that!

“You are fine, let’s go Dean, we don’t want to be late.” He had a moment to wonder what the fuck he was reaching towards his face for, then the world went wonky. Oh God!

When he finally got his breathing and nausea under control he looked up to give him a piece of his mind for what the fuck he just did, whatever it was, and came face to face with his date location. Son of a bitch!

He just stared at the sign unable to comprehend. He could read the words but they made no sense at all. Of all the scenarios that passed through his mind for what the guy could pick, this hadn’t even being a passing idea.

Rock and Roll hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland Ohio.

He’d always wanted to come here, and now he would be seeing it for the first time with a demon. Son of a bitch!

Bobby pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it for a moment like that would somehow change the conversation he’d just had.

Dean did what?

That idjit.

Hearing his name being shouted from far away he put the receiver back to his ear and sighed in resignation. This was really happening.

“Calm down Sam and just run through it once more.” The second telling did absolutely nothing to change the story at all.

He was still trying to form some kind of reply, figure out what the hell kind of question to ask first, when something changed.

In the background on Sam’s end he could hear another voice, at first he thought it was just the t.v., but then Sam paused and he figured that maybe Dean was back from his “date” already.

“Ruby?” Then the line went dead.

Ruby! Wasn’t that the name of that demon broad? Trying to call the number back did him no good, and he couldn’t call Dean right now, who knew how the demon would react to being interrupted or even what the two of them were up to right then.

Best to just keep trying to reach Sam, and if nothing came of it soon he would just head down to help him himself. Hell maybe he should do that anyhow, it sounded like both boys were getting in over their heads. Gathering up his books he decided he could research the deal just as much on the road, and his boys needed him.

Hell, what they needed was a good swift kick in the keester, and that he could provide.

Castiel watched Dean as he rushed from one exhibit to the next. His beloved had been reticent at first, unwilling to enjoy himself, but then the different displays had begun to call to him. This was why he had chosen this particular place as their first date. His loves admiration of such things was very much a part of him and he had hoped that the venue would overpower any resentment he felt towards him personally.

It hurt to think that his mate felt such animosity towards him, but it was understandable and something he would gladly endure for the time being. He had already won after all, the end of this game was already decided, and he could afford to be patient and understanding for now.

“Dean please a small indulgence. Tell me, which are your favorite songs by each of these singers?” He already knew so much about him, but he wanted to know so much more. He wanted to see his emerald eyes spark with emotion and life as he spoke with him of something he cared for.

“They aren’t just singers, they are legends, that’s why they’re here.” The look of pure disgruntled affront on his future lovers face at the idea that these men would be nothing more than singers was amusing to say the least. He appeared to be genuinely offended on their behalf.

“Of course, forgive me, what are your favorite songs by these legends?” If he needed to breathe he imagined he would be holding his breath now as he waited to see if he would answer. If he chose not to he supposed he could insist, but that might not be the best way to gain what he desired in this particular instance. What to do?

Dean thought about just ignoring him and continuing to trying to enjoy this place like he was here on his own. Then again, if he pissed this thing off too much he might just decide to teach him a lesson in manners by going on a little murder spree right here. The place wasn’t crowded at the moment but there were more than enough people around to make him queasy at the thought of them being in the line of fire.

He hadn’t seen this guy go all bloodthirsty before, but it wasn’t like it was out of the realm for it to happen, there was no such thing as a good demon after all. Seeing no harm in answering the guy, he took a deep breath and began.

Looking to the left he saw Bruce Springsteen’s hotel keys, oh if the walls of that hotel room could talk they would probably make anyone within ear shot blush.

“Well Bruce Springsteen has a lot of really classic stuff but if I had to pick a favorite I would have to go with Born in the U.S.A. I know that’s a little predictable, but there’s a reason it’s so popular. Plus that thing with Regan was just hilarious, most guys would have been flattered to have their song used in a presidential anything, but Bruce totally nailed them for using his shit without asking first. Classic.”

Looking down a little he saw the schoolboy outfit worn by Angus Young the guitarist of AC/DC. The mannequin didn’t do it justice, that thing was all kinds of weird, but at the same time it had its own special kind of style. No one else in the world could probably pull it off, but that just made it one of a kind.

“Most people love the 1979 album from AC/DC Highway to Hell, their first to sell over a million copies. Or they like Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap which was originally released in 1976 but didn’t make it to the U.S. until 1981. Those are the ones that everyone knows from like movies and stuff, the ones used the most in commercials or referenced everywhere. They’re alright but I prefer You Shook Me All Night Long. Again kind of predictable, but come on, that one is amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I got laid to that thing in high school alone.”

Seeing a giant poster of Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer he couldn’t hold back a smile. Most people didn’t know how much he dug Aerosmith. He would shoot himself with the colt before he ever sat through one of their sappy power ballads, but they had some choice tunes.

“Steven Tyler has some killer vocals, he can reach a pitch that just makes you want to listen even more closely than you already are. Don’t get me wrong the dude has cranked out some sappy chick songs over the years, but he’s also got some really solid numbers mixed in with them. I have to say my go to for them, hands down has to be, Dream On.”

Seeing the whole section devoted to Black Sabbath he almost crossed himself, he wasn’t much for religion, but if he were this would be his church. He’d grown up listening to these dudes rock out, they were the soundtrack of his life.

“Black Sabbath no way, you know most in the business credited these guys with creating heavy metal. They were originally named Earth Blues Company or Earth, but they eventually changed it to what everyone now knows them as. This is where Ozzy Osbourne got his start. These guys were epic, true metal heads. Paranoid is like the best of them, pre Ozzy split.”

Castiel watched him light up as he spoke and he found himself smiling in return, even though he didn’t truly understand a word of what he spoke about. He had never heard any of these songs, but now that he knew which were his favorites he would be sure to rectify that mistake.

“Do you enjoy many bands such as these?” He watched him pause in his perusal of the many different displays, and for the first time he turned to look at him. He had been avoiding any form of contact with him, even eye contact until now. This music truly was a large part of his life to have such an effect on him.

“Oh yeah, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Eagles, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Styx. All the hard core bands from the 70’s and 80’s.” He would have to be sure to research these hard core bands in great detail, if they meant so much to Dean he would learn all there was to know about them. He wondered what else meant so much to Dean? Maybe over the course of these dates he would find out.

Sam dropped the phone, hoping that Bobby would understand why he did it later, and reached for the closest weapon, a regular revolver, but it would have to do for now.

“Ruby? What the hell are you doing here?” The pert little blonde just looked at him like he was the dumbest creature she’d ever met that still had the power of speech. She was the demon that just barged into the room of a hunter, apparently un-armed so he supposed he could argue that one with her very convincingly.

“What happened Sam?” What the hell did she mean what happened? What happened when? And why wasn’t he just shooting her? Not that the gun would do much damage to her demonic hide, but it could at least give him the time he needed to find the colt, assuming Dean hadn’t taken it with him.

“What are you talking about?” At the very least he might be able to get some intel from her. If demons were going to be coming after them about something, then it would help if they knew more about what they wanted this time. Not that knowing would really do much beyond make them paranoid, or angry, but it would be better than not knowing.

“What the hell happened Sam? The underworld’s in a tizzy over something to do with your brother. What the hell happened to Dean?”

A/N – So that’s the update for now, sorry it took so long. Hope you liked the first “date”. You’ll see more about Ruby in the next chapter when Bobby gets there. Until next time…